The closure of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass continues to impact travel, freight and tourism across the Central West. It has again highlighted how vulnerable our region is when key infrastructure fails, with flow-on effects for local businesses and communities.

This reinforces the need for long-term investment in reliable road and rail infrastructure. In the interim I have worked closely with the government to get services from sydney out west.

Fuel supply issues and rising prices remain a serious concern across regional NSW. With the cost of living already high, unreliable supply and price volatility are placing added pressure on households, small businesses and those who rely on fuel every day. I will continue to call on the Government to work with the Commonwealth to secure supply chains and ease the burden on regional communities.

Recent changes to firearms laws continue to raise strong concerns across the Central West and NSW. While the events that led to these changes were tragic, many in our community believe the response has been rushed, with limited consultation and scrutiny. More than 98,000 people signed a petition raising concerns-one of the largest ever recorded­which shows the strength of community feeling. There are real concerns these changes place further restrictions on law-abiding firearms owners, while doing little to address illegal firearms. Questions have also been raised about limits that don’t reflect the practical needs of hunters, primary producers and sporting shooters. I will continue to advocate for fair, balanced laws that target crime-not responsible people.

The proposed energy-from-waste facility at Parkes continues to raise strong community concerns. Many locals are questioning why regional communities should manage metropolitan waste, particularly given Parkes’ agricultural setting and the need to transport waste long distances. While I am not opposed to the technology, it must be in the right location and have genuine community support. I will continue to stand with the Parkes community and ensure their voices are heard.

Arts OutWest is excited to launch the first year of the Arts OutWest Cultural Fund Microgrants – and is calling for artists and groups to apply.

This new program supports locally driven arts and heritage activity across the NSW Central West and is offered thanks to gener­ous donations from the public.

In 2026, two funding streams are availa­ble: Up to $1000 for individual artists and up to $2500 for groups, including arts organi­sations, collectives, local councils, arts and heritage businesses and artist–organisation partnerships.

Activities funded might include community art projects, workshops, exhibitions, perfor­mances, talks, story development, artist residencies, creative experiments, the crea­tion of new work and more.

Projects must take place between June and December 2026 and occur within the local government areas of Bathurst Re­gion, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Mid-Western Regional, Oberon, Orange, Parkes and Weddin.

All applicants must discuss their idea with Arts OutWest before applying.

Full guidelines, FAQs, and the appli­cation form are available now at: https://artsoutwest.org.au/pf/arts-outwest-cultual-fund-microgrants/ Arts OutWest will hold a Microgrants information session online on Wednesday 1st of April at 5.30pm. Book via the artsoutwest.org.au website.

The completion of major upgrade works on Bogan Road.

Parkes Shire Council is pleased to an­nounce the successful completion of major upgrade works on Bogan Road, delivered under the Australian Government’s Remote Roads Pilot Program. The $3.186 million project has significantly improved approxi­mately 20 kilometres of Bogan Road, en­hancing safety, accessibility, and freight ef­ficiency across the network.

Key features of the project include the ex­tension of a sealed road for approximately 4 kilometres, along with important horizon­tal and vertical alignment improvements to provide a smoother and safer driving expe­rience. In addition, 16 kilometres of previ­ously unsealed road has been resheeted to improve drainage, pavement profile, and overall road condition.

Critical infrastructure upgrades were de­livered, including the construction and up­grade of multiple culverts and causeways to improve flood resilience and enable Higher Mass Limit (HML) access.

Mayor Councillor Neil Westcott said the project represents a significant investment in the region’s road infrastructure and future economic growth.

“This upgrade is an important step for­ward in improving freight efficiency and con­nectivity across our shire,” Mayor Westcott said.

“By extending the sealed network and im­proving road quality, we are supporting localindustries, particularly agriculture and trans­port operators, while also delivering safer and more reliable access for all road users.”

The improvements to Bogan Road will support increased productivity by enabling HML vehicles to operate more efficiently, reducing travel times and vehicle operating costs.

Council acknowledges the support of the Australian Government in delivering this project through the Remote Roads Pilot Program, and thanks contractors and staff involved in bringing the project to comple­tion. This project highlights the importance of continued investment in regional road in­frastructure to support growing communities and local economies.